mitchell



(No Model.)

Y J. S. MITCHELL.

ORE WASHER AND AMALGAMATOR. No. 246,183. Patented Aug. 23,1881.

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JOHN S. MITCHELL, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

ORE WASHER AND AMALGAMATOR.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 246,183, dated August23, 1881.

Application filed November 13, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I JOHN S. MITCHELL, ofNewark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Gold Washers and Amalgamators;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to more perfectly and expeditiouslyconcentrate and separate the gold and heavier particles from the lightgan gne in the process of extracting the above-mentioned metal from itsores.

It consists in combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafterfullydescribed, illustrated, and finally claimed.

Heretofore pans worked by machinery have been defective in operating insuch a manner as to allow the sand to pack, and thus the lighterparticles were prevented from separating from the gold and heavierparticles; but by my invention the pulp is kept constantly alive and thelighter sands have full opportunity to flow from the pan with the water.

Referring` to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters ofreference indicate like parts in each of the several figures, Figure lis a side elevation,in which a portion of the yoke :is broken away toshow the parts more clearly. Fig. 2 is a section of the same, takenthrough line x,- and Fig. 3 is a section taken through line y.

In carrying out my invention I construct upon the bed-plate A the yokeB, in which is pivoted the oscillating collar a. Through said collarpasses ashort shaft, b, which is pivoted therein, as indicated in Fig.3, thus making a universaljointfor said sh aftb to'work in. Upon theupper end ofthe shaftis fastened a pan, C, arranged internally7 as willbe described hereinafter. The opposite end sets loosely into a socket ina slotted eccentric plate, d, adapted to be adjustably fastened to agear-wheel, e, which engages with and receives motion from a slidingrack, i, which, in turn, receives its (No model.)

motion from a orank-wheel,f, upon the shaft g, connected with thedriving-pulley h, all of which will be understood by reference to Figs.l and 2. Both the gear-wheel c and sliding rackt' are held intoengagement by attachments upon the bedplate, substantially as shown inFigs. l and 2. The pan C is fastened upon the end of the shaft b, or,more strictly in this case, upon a tablet, 7c, fastened thereon. Saidpan is provided with a cover, l, having' a central aperture, into whichis soldered or otherwise fastened a widemouthed funnel, m, adapted toextend beneath the surface of the water, for a purpose hereinafter setforth. Said cover may have thereon a latch or other appropriate device'for preventing displacement, and the pan may be similarly fastened tothe tablet.

The operation of the invention is substantially as follows: The partsbeing arranged as shown and described, and the power applied, theshafting g is set in motion, which causes the crank-wheelf to revolve,which, in turn, by means of the connecting-rod 0, actuates the slidingrack to a backward and forward motion, all of which will be evinced uponreference to Fig. 1. Said rack revolves the gearwheel e, carrying theeccentric slotted and socketed plate d, which, in turn, causes the endsof the short shaft b to describe circles, while the pivotal intermediateportion of the same is to an extent stationary. The center 0f motion ofthe pan being always in a state of change, there is no opportunity forthe sand to settle at any one point and pack, and thus prevent thethorough concentration ofthe sand. The cover l and funnel m containedtherein are so arranged as to prevent the sweep of the water fromcarrying off the sand as it falls from the hopper without undergoing thedesired concentrating process. The lower mouth of the funnel beingbeneath the surface ofthe water the sand is compelled to be submergedbefore it can pass off through the spout s, as will be understood.

It is evident that this invention can be used for an amalgamator, thesame forces thatv are operative to concentrate the sand being welladapted to bring the mercury and gold into combination to produce anamalgam.

IOO

The mechanism can be used singly, or by extending the rack can beduplicated to any extent, all being operated by the same said rack.

I am aware that means for producing a progrcssive rotatory oscillationto a pan have been used in crushing and separating ores 5 but the saidmotion differs materially from the one produced by the means hereindescribed, in that the latter has not a continuous progres sive motion,but, on the contrary, the backward and forward action of the slidingrack, as will be evident, produces a responsive action upon the pan andintermediate parts. This backward and forward action, in connection withthe rotatory oscillation, breaks the continuous sweep or swash 7 of thewater and more perfcctly prevents the packing7 of the sand, hereinbeforereferred to.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim,and wish tohave securedby Letters Pat cnt, is-

1. In washers and amalgamators, the combination, with a pan secured toor upon a shaft, b, and impelled thereby to a rotatory oscillation, of arack, i, and means for imparting thereto a backward and forward motion,as and for the purposes set forth and shown.

2. The combination, with a pan, G,he1d upon a shaft, b, of a `yoke, B,collar a, eccentric d, sliding rack 1', and means for im parting theretoa backward and forward motion, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In washers and amalgamators, a yoke, B,

having au oscillating collar, a,pivoted therein, a shaft, b, working insaid collar, and having one end engaging' with an eccentric plate, d, incombination with means for producing a backward and forward motion,substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shown.

4. In washers and amalgamators, a shaft, b, held in a yoke, B, andoperated by an eccentric, d, in combination with means for producing abackward and forward motion, as herein described, for the purposes setforth.

5. In washers and amalgamators, the combination of the slotted plate d,provided with an eccentric socket, a gear-wheel, e, and shaft b,arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

G. In washers and amalgamators, the combination, with the shaft b, ofthe eccentric plate d, gear-wheel e, rack t', crank-wheel f, Ianddriving-pulley 7L, arranged and operating as and for the purposes setforth.

7. In a machine for amalgamating or concentrating, as herein stated, thecombination of the pan (l, shaft b, yoke and collar B a, eccentric plated, gear-wheel c, and rack t', actuated toa backward and forward motion,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this5th day of November, 1880.

"Witnesses:

OLIVER DRAKE, CHARLES H. PELL.

JOHN S. MITCHELL,

